Brazil Nut Free Paleo Cassava Flour Apple Hand Pies
Warm spiced apples tucked inside a tender, golden crust — these hand pies deliver everything you want from a classic fall dessert, built entirely from grain-free, whole-food ingredients. Cassava flour is the real star here, giving the pastry a surprisingly pliable, rollable texture that holds its shape beautifully without any wheat or nut-based flours in sight. Solid coconut oil stands in for butter, working into the dough just like a traditional fat to create those satisfying flaky-crumbly edges once baked. The filling comes together in a single skillet, with diced apples, maple syrup, warm cinnamon and ginger, and a touch of arrowroot starch to thicken everything into a glossy, jammy center that won't leak all over your baking sheet. A quick egg wash gives each little pie that irresistible deep-golden finish straight from the oven. These are genuinely portable, handheld, and sturdy enough to pack up and take somewhere — no fork required. Whether you're navigating tree nut concerns or simply want a cleaner-ingredient dessert that doesn't taste like a compromise, this one is worth every step.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 2 cups cassava flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup coconut oil, solid (not melted)
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
For the filling
- 3 medium apples (about 1 lb), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Make the filling: melt 1 tbsp coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the arrowroot starch and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute more, until the juices thicken and coat the apples. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely, about 20–30 minutes.
- 2
Make the crust: whisk together the cassava flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the solid coconut oil in small spoonfuls and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
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